End gate control mechanism for scraper bowls



March 29, 19.32. c, 5, BALL 1,851,234

' END GATE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWLS Filed June 27, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l I o I) o o C) o z 1 l 8 O O l J I o O o 11 A Q K? 1% KN V V O o O O INVENTOR C. Elan-Lu v Q 3 AM ATTORN EY C. E. BALL.

March 29, 1932.

END GATE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27.. 1931 INVENTOR ("a EBQZL BY @w..mm

ATTORNEY March 29, 1932. E, B L 1,851,234

END GATE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SCRAPER BOWLS Filed June 27, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR C-EBtLlL G .LLLSI.

ATTORNEY I i March 29, 1932. c. E. BALL 1,851,234

END GATE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SCRAPBR BOWLS Filed June 27, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR C.E'.Ball

Patented Mar. 29, 1932 "res CHARLES E. BALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOI ES,

PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOR TO BALL WAGON GRADER CO A CORPORATION mm GATE common MECHAIHSM r03 sonarna BOWLS Application filed June 27,

This invention relates to scrapers of that type in which the bowl is provided with a normally closed rear endgate, and dumping of the bowl-is, effected by tipping the forward .5 end of the bowl up and opening the endgate. A scraper of this general character is shown in Patent No. 1,593,007, dated July 20, 1926.

- In this patent the latch of the gate was manu'ally released, and the gate then swung open 1 .0 of itself and was held open by the mass and pressure of the discharging dirt. This tended to retard such discharge somewhat, since when only aslight amount of dirt remained in the bowl there was a tendency for the gate to again become latched. i

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a means, functioning with a further upward tilting of the bowl after the latch of the endgate has been released for positively pulling the gate back to a relatively wide-open position, without depending on the pressure of the dirt to accomplish this.

A further object of this invention is to provide a release mechanism for the gate latch so arranged that the latch will be automatically released when the bowl has been tilted to a predetermined angle.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simpleand inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by aperusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scraper bowl in its digging position and with the rear endgate closed, the near frame parts of the scraper being removed. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bowl raised to a latch releasing position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gate pulled back as the bowl is tilted upwardly beyond its latch releasing position.

Fi 4 is a rear end view of the bowl show-- ing t e control mechanism for the gate.

eferring now more particularly to the 1931. Serial No. 547,308.

characters of reference on the drawings, the supporting structure of the scraper comprises a suitable frame work indicated generally at 1, and supported by wheels or end: less track devices 2. Arranged in connection with the frame rearwardly of the tracks is the bowl 3 of the scraper which is preferably of the type shown in my co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 547,306, filed June 27, 1931. This bowl is hung in place by forwardly extending pull bars 4: pivoted on the sides of the bowl and on the frame ahead of the same, and by suspension arms 5 pivoted on the sides of the bowl at its rear end as on the frame structure above the bowl. Raising and lowering of the front end of the bowl, or the tiltingof the same which controls the digging, transporting or dumping positions, is controlled by suitable means such as that shown in said above mentioned patent, or by the later structure shown in my copending application, Serial No. 546,985, filed June 26, 1931. This later structure comprises cables 6 depending from drums 7 mounted on the frame above the bowl and rotated by suitable mechanism which forms no part of the invention. The cables pass about sheaves 8 secured on the sides of the bowl ahead of the connection of the bars 4 with the same, and thence upward to an anchorage on the front endgate 9 of the bowl which is connected to the same and held at a certain definite level by suspension members 10.

The rear endgate 11 which forms the back of the bowl is in the form of a plate having side wings 12 which are pivoted at their forward ends on the sides of the bowl. This endgate toward its bottom edge is provided with opposed transversely extending latch bars 13 which are slidably mounted in guides 14. on the gate. The outer ends of these bars are adapted to engage notched catch members 15. These members are mounted on the sides of the bowl and are arranged when engaged with the bars to hold the-gate against rearward swinging movement relative to the bowl. Tension springs 16 act on the latch bars to move'the same outwardly.

At their inner ends the latch bars are flexibly connected to the lower vertical legs of bellcranks 17 which are pivoted on the endgate and whose upper legs extend transversely and toward each other so that their adjacent ends overlap. At said ends, a flexible mem-' ber such as a chain 18 is connected to said bellcranks, which chain extends upwardly to an anchorage on the frame. The chain is connected to the frame at such a point relative to the bowl that it is slack when the bowl is in its digging or transporting positions; but whenthe bowl is tilted up a certain distance beyond this transporting position, the chain becomes taut and exerts an upward pull on the upper legs of the bellcranks. This pulls the lower legs toward eachother and draws the latch bars inwardly so that they clear the catch members, and the gate is free to swing rearwardly.

- Anchored at one end of the bowl adjacent the connection of one of the suspension bars 5 therewith is a cable 19. This cable extends thence upwardly and about transversely spaced sheaves 20 and 21 which are separately and flexibly hung from a cross beam 1a of the frame structure at its rear end or rear-' wardly of the normal position of the bowl.

.The sheave 21 is disposed in a plane near .the center of the width of the bowl, and the cable depends therefrom to an anchoring end on the endgate intermediate its top and bottom. The sheaves are mounted in such positions relative to thearc of swinging movement of the rear of the bowl that as long as the gate is closed and the bowl is in its digging or transporting position, the cable is just normally taut or even slack.

W'hen however, the gate is opened. and the bowl is tilted further up and also swings forward a certain extent relative to its normal position as shown in Fig. 3, the distance between the anchored end of the cable 19 and the adjacentsheave 20 is increasech Therefore, since the cable has a fixed length, the other vertical run of the cable between. the

' sheave 21 and the endgate is decreased in length. As a result the gate is pulled open in increasing proportion to the upward tilting of the bowl and the consequently forward swinging of the rear end of the same. Not only is the gate thus held and positively pulled open or away from the bowl, but all strains are removed from thelatch mechanism once the chain 18 has functioned to release the latch bars.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a de-.

the invention as set forth herein.

WVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what vice as substantially fulfills the objects of I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a scraper, a bowl, a rear endgate for the bowl pivoted thereon for rearward opening movement, a normally engaged latch between the gate and bowl, means supporting the bowl for upward tilting movement at its front end, means to thus tilt the bowl, means to automatically disengage the latch after the bowl has been tilted a predetermined amount from a scraping position and additional means to pull the gate rearwardly .relative to the bowl after the latch has been released and with a further tilting of the bowl.

2. In ascraper, a bowl, a rear endgate for the bowl pivoted thereon for rearward opening movement, a normally engaged latch between the gate and bowl, a frame to move along the ground, means suspending the bowl for upward tilting movement at its front end, means to thus tilt the bowl, means to release the latch after the bowl has been tilted a predetermined distance from a scraping position, and means between the bowl, frame and gate to positively pull the latter rearwardly relative to the bowl with a further upward tilting movement of the bowl.

3. In a scraper, a bowl, a rear endgate for the bowl pivoted thereon for rearward openingmovement, a normally engaged latch between the gate and bowl, means supporting the bowl for upward tilting movement at its front end, means to thus tilt the bowl, means to disengage the latch after the bowl has been tilted a predetermined distance from a scraping position, and separate means to pull the gate rearwardly relative to the bowl after the latch has been released and with a. further upward tilting movement of the bowl.

4-. In a scraper, a bowl, a rear endgate for the bowl pivoted thereon for rearward opening movement, a normally engaged latch between the gate and bowl, 9. frame to move along the ground, means suspending the bowl for upward tilting movement at its front end, means to thus tilt'the bowl, means to release the latch after the bowl hasbeen tilted a predetermined distance from ascraping position, a pair of transversely spaced sheaves hung from the frame above the rear end of the bowl, and a cable connected at one end to the gate between its top and bottom edge and passing thence over the sheaves and depending to the side of the bowl and being connected to the same adjacent its rear end; the bowl supporting and tilting means being arranged to cause the bowl, when tilted beyond a latch releasing position, to move forwardly at its rear end and the cable being then taut.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES E. BALL. 

